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| ©2000 |
reducing
violence by
Sing out against violent toys
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How to organize a public witness at your local toy storecompiled by Kryss Chupp, Christian Peacemaker Teams
Index:
ORGANIZING STEP BY STEP"Violent play is replicated with real guns in my neighborhood. Playing Power Rangers legitimizes kids using real violence on the streets." Mary Scott-Boria, First Church of Brethren, Chicago, IL. Christian Peacemaker Teams has seen a growing number of local churches act on their concerns about toys that contribute to the degradation of our culture. During the 1997 holiday season, four groups conducted public witness events calling on Toys "R" Us, the world's largest toy retailer, to remove violent toys from their shelves. Studies indicate that aggressive play leads to acts of real aggression and desensitizes children to violence. Engaging the local distributors of violent toys is one way to witness to our faith in the Christ who taught us to love our enemies, not hurt or kill them. Following is a guide for church groups interested in organizing a creative witness to share the message that "Violence is Not Child's Play." 1) START PLANNING EARLY - Develop a task force or committee to begin planning your event several months in advance. An optimal time to carry out your witness is the holiday shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Become familiar with the selection of violent toys offered by stores in your area and select the focus of your witness. 2) FOCUS ON ONE MAIN SYMBOL and a BASIC SCENARIO - It is important to keep your message straightforward and simple. Avoid combining too many symbols. You may want to propose a basic scenario as a starting point and then let the creative juices flow as your group fleshes out the details. Many groups find it important to take their witness directly to the aisles where offensive toys are displayed within the store. It is wise to have a "Plan A" that includes an "inside scenario" for those willing to enter the store and an "outside scenario" for those maintaining a presence in front of the store, as well as a "Plan B" in the event that people are prevented from entering the store. SAMPLE SCENARIO #1:
BASIC SCENARIO: INSIDE - Santa Clause and his Elves for Peace enter Toys "R" Us singing and skipping towards the aisles of violent toys with large bags in hand. Santa conducts a little "teach-in" explaining vigorously that the presence of such toys on the shelves is a big mistake, that he ordered MORE toys not WAR toys, that they do not have Santa's stamp of approval and must be removed from the toy store shelves. Elves then remove toys, place them in bags and take them to the back storage area or manager's office. On their way to deliver the "naughty" toys, Santa and the Elves discover the aisles where computer/video games are sold. A quick check reveals that 75% contain combat themes! Elves may consider leaving warning signs on shelves, warning stickers on toys, and passing out leaflets to shoppers inside. In Choir - holding banners & signs, singing adapted carols, passing out leaflets and engaging shoppers in dialogue about the violent content within the store. Invite shoppers to participate in a simple poll - checking a list to see which toys are "naughty" and which toys are "nice." CONCLUSION - Santa and Elves join the Elfin Choir outside to share reports of their efforts (can include repeat or adaptation of "teach-in"). Outside Elves can share results of toy poll if appropriate. SAMPLE SCENARIO #2:
BASIC SCENARIO: INSIDE - Some Angelic Messengers, determined to sing out their message in the toy store aisles, enter the store (not in costume) before others arrive. At a set time, they don their angelic attire -- white "robes" (old bed sheets) and wings or halos (aluminum foil). They gather in the aisles where violent toys are displayed and begin to sing an adapted carol. Then, one by one, they unroll scrolls and call out various "tidings" -- "Behold, we bring you glad tidings: October 2, 1986 Finland announced it will ban the manufacture, sale, and import of war toys..." "Behold, we bring you sad tidings: Studies show that aggressive play leads to acts of real aggression and desensitizes children to violence." etc. Songs may be interspersed with the announcement of tidings. Angels continue until they conclude their "teach-in of tidings" with customers or until they are escorted or removed from the store. OUTSIDE - Meanwhile an entire of Choir of Angelic Messengers has gathered outside the store to sing out the message of peaceful play on earth. Tidings may also be announced to passersby and distributed as leaflets. CONCLUSION - the "inside" chorus joins the "outside" choir for a sharing of the day's tidings and songs.Additional Ideas:
3) DECIDE PLACE, DATE, TIME of your witness. The Friday and Saturday right after Thanksgiving (U.S.) are the busiest shopping days of the year. Both Christmas Eve and New Year's Day are "slow news days" when the media are generally looking for a good story. Your event should be scheduled early enough to make evening news broadcasts (before 2:00pm is recommended). 4) OUTREACH: Send letter of invitation & flier to area churches/meetings. Flier should be bulletin insert size - prominently display Date, Time, Place of the witness, contact information, and information for a pre-action preparation session. Should be available to churches for at least three Sundays leading up to your event. Follow-up calls are important. Some groups have offered to send a person or two "in costume" to make a verbal announcement at area churches. 5) SEND A SMALL DELEGATION to the store 2-3 weeks prior to your witness to:
6) SEND A LETTER restating your concerns with copies to all decision-making levels - store manager and director, district or regional manager, Chief Operating Officer, CEO - following your delegation's visit. Make sure to check who currently holds each of these positions. The address for Toys "R" Us national headquarters is: 461 From Rd.; Paramus, NJ 07652; Tel: 201-262-7800; Fax: 201-967-8850; e-mail: goldsteinm@toysrus.com.
8) RESEARCH: Appoint someone(s) in your group to become very familiar with information regarding the dangers of violent toys including research studies, Internet resources, etc. 9) Gather COSTUMES, EQUIPMENT (sound system if needed, etc.), SONG SHEETS, make SIGNS, BANNERS, PROPS... 10) WRITE, DESIGN and PRODUCE a FLIER for distribution to public. We strongly recommend keeping leaflet text brief (no more than one half page). People won't read long leaflets. Make it attractive and easy to grab hold of. Should be » page (5 »" x 8 »"), front side - text; back side - song lyrics. 11) PRE-ACTION PREPARATION SESSION: It's a good idea to invite all participants to a preparation session several days prior to your event. That meeting should include:
12) DEBRIEF and REPORT BACK TO CHURCHES: Invite participants to a debriefing session soon after your witness - discuss what things went well and how to improve your efforts next time; be sure to include an opportunity for participants to share their feelings and reflections. Encourage participants to report on their experience with their church community. 13) HAVE FUN!! CPT director, Gene Stoltzfus says, "A good nonviolent action is like a great work of art." Enjoy the Spirit's creative work among you! SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE[your letterhead] CHICAGO -- On New Year's Day, 1997, the Christian Peacemaker Teams' Little Drummer Band will urge Toys “R” Us to march to the beat of a different drummer by removing violent toys from their store shelves. Members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) from across North America will be joined by Chicago area peacemakers at 12:30pm, January 1, the steps of the Art Institute (Michigan & Adams) for a march to the Toys “R” Us store at State and Madison. Led by the Little Drummer Boy, participants will carry drums and banners and join a chorus of messengers to sing adapted versions of familiar holiday carols that will alert customers to the violent content within the store. Banners will be hung inside the store's ground floor display window asking Toys “R” Us to demilitarize our children's toy boxes and remove the arsenals from the shelves. CPT is a project of North American Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations and Friends meetings that support violence-reduction teams around the world. SAMPLE SONGSANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH (adapted)1) Messengers of peace are we 2) Hear our message from on high 3) Ninja Turtles never die 4) Behold, on this New Year's Day Chorus: Re-move, re-move, re-move violent toys HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING (adapted)Hark the Herald Angels sing, WE THREE KINGS (adapted)Customers of Toys "R" Us We three kings of Orient are LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (adapted)1) "Come," they told me, pa-rum-pa-pum-pum 2) Toys that teach our kids to glorify war, 3) With a message of Peace we must Santa Claus is Coming to Town (adapted)Oh, you'd better watch out, you'd better not buy HI HO, HI HO (adapted)Hi Ho, Hi Ho, JOY TO THE WORLD (adapted)Joy to the world VIOLENT TOYS ARE ONES WHICH...
WHAT'S WRONG WITH TOYS OF VIOLENCE?by Sue Spencer 1. They do not engage our children and young people in our struggles to maintain peace. 2. They desensitize children to the results of violence -- pain, crippling and death. 3. They endorse violence as a way of solving problems. 4. They do not help develop reasoning or verbal skills. 5. They require no imagination or creativity. A pull of a trigger or push of a button takes care of any problem. 6. They reverse the positions of the normal virtues and vices: they downgrade patience, compassion and the spirit of cooperation, while upgrading quick-trigger responses, aggressiveness and hate. 7. They blur the distinction between things and people, especially the current hybrid or robot toys that "convert" from warriors into rocks and vehicles and back into warriors again. 8. They endorse dealing with any beings who are "different" from us with violence. 9. They increase children's desires for real guns, knives, rifles, etc. 10. They do not reflect today's realities in the following ways:
EXPERTS SAY..."Playing with war toys legitimizes and makes violent behavior acceptable. It desensitizes children to the dangers and harm of violent behavior and increases the chance that they will resort to violent behavior... The degree that youngsters are learning to take pleasure from aggression decreases their ability to learn empathy, negotiation, and cooperation." - Dr. Arnold Goldstein, PhD., Director of Center for Research and Aggression at the University of Syracuse "This repeated teaching of seeing your opponent as someone despicably evil who can only be dealt with through combat is very harmful. The research of cartoon violence and violent toys is quite clear. These programs and their war toys are teaching children to be more violent and desensitizing them to the real horrors of war and military combat. The cartoon and violent toy studies show that these materials cause children to hit, kick, choke, push, and hold down other children. They have found increases in selfishness, anxiety, and the hurting of animals. Sharing and school performance have been found to decrease." - Dr. Thomas Radecki, M.D. Psychiatrist, Chair of National Coalition on Television Violence. "Nowadays, toys are more violent than ever... The guns that go along with the toys are very realistic. They are copies of real Uzis, M-16 and M-24 assault rifles, rocket-launchers, and grenades... Most studies show a 50% increase in aggressive play between children after they play with violent toys. We are activating children to become more aggressive through realistic war toys. We are also telling kids whom to direct their aggression at -- 'patriotic' USA hero and international 'terrorist' dolls promote hatred of foreigners." - Dr. Carol Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, UCLA On Rambo -- "I couldn't control it. I tried to stop it but I don't own the licensing rights to the toys. It's not for kids. The movie was not supposed to be for little kids and I wouldn't let my own children play with those toys." - Sylvester Stalone, actor QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT WAR TOYSby Kate Donnelly, War Resisters League
These are ten questions and comments we often hear when speaking about war toys or violence in cartoons. There are no right or wrong answers; these represent one person's opinions. 1. I played with guns as a child and I grew up to be ok. I answer this comment in three different ways: a) War toys have changed quantitatively and qualitatively since many of us were children. Kids no longer have just a gun or a few toy soldiers. They own arsenals of weapons backed up with scenarios from cartoons. They show realistic people fighting out good and evil. There is no room for negotiation, cooperation or creative problem solving. Scenarios are often racist and sexist and expose children to incredible violence. Even if your own children don't watch the cartoons they can read about the characters on the packaging of the toys, and they quickly learn is from kids who do watch. When children play with these war toys there is little positive creativity. b) You may have turned out ok, but our society is extremely violent. Children growing up in a warm loving environment with people who discuss the issues of violence and war may be able to overcome the influence of war toys and cartoons in their lives. Unfortunately we don't live in a society where most kids have that kind of childhood. We need to take societal responsibility for violent behavior. c) I played with guns as a child too, and I consider myself a good person striving to be nonviolent but there is violence within me that is hard to overcome and a temper that sometimes prevents me from seeing a clear solution. The toys I played with as a child did not encourage ways to resolve conflict in a creative, nonviolent way. 2. If kids don't have guns they'll use their fingers, sticks, bananas, etc. to make guns. The biggest problem I have with buying war toys is that by buying them we are telling our children that we condone them and therefore condone violence and war a solutions to problems. Just because children will use their fingers doesn't mean we have to provide them with the war toys. I wish my children wouldn't make gestures that replicate guns in any way, but I don't stop them unless it involves fighting. 3. Denying children guns and war toys makes a bid deal out of it and it makes them want them more. Do we allow our children to put their fingers on a hot stove or in a socket or let them smoke or use cocaine because telling them not to will make them want it more? NO! Because our job as parents and teachers is to raise our children in a safe place, teaching them the morals we believe in. If we believe this includes restricting war toys and cartoons then we say no and explain why. They may rebel, they may want them, but, we can only hope they will end up with the values we believe in. We need not make a big deal about war toys to our children which may make it the forbidden fruit, but simply let them know how we feel and why. 4. War toys provide a catharsis for children's anger. Giving children war toys does not purge them of violence. It often creates or escalates it. Most children do not repress their anger. They are very up-front about it. We need to give them channels to express their anger in helpful ways. I recommend that people whose children play with war toys try an experiment. Play with your children and their friends for awhile with blocks, balls, puzzles, artwork, etc. After awhile introduce guns, GI Joe, etc. and see if the behavior and play changes. 5. How do you channel kids' anger and aggression without giving them these kinds of outlets? There are many ways of letting a child be angry or use their aggression without hurting or pretending to hurt others. I believe the best way is to build a child's self-esteem and praise them for positive behavior, get to the root of the anger, and try to help your child use words, cooperate and develop creative ways to solve problems. Also, physical play and exercise helps reduce anger and stress. There are many excellent books that deal with these problems. It is important to understand the stages of development in children to help them understand their own anger and changes due to growth. 6. How do I help my child deal with peer pressure to have war toys and watch violent cartoons? There is so much peer pressure to have lots of kinds of toys. It is important to help you child have a sense of self-worth as a foundation. Then provide them with alternative experiences and toys that they can share with their friends. Above all, talk with them about their feelings and yours. They should understand why they don't have certain things and understand that possessing things is not a good basis for friendship or popularity. Teach them to think for themselves and share examples of the many great people who have done so throughout history. It's not only peer pressure but pressure from advertisers that children must contend with. This can be used as an opportunity for an economics lesson. Your children should know that the first concern of most toy manufacturers is profit, not good toys. 7. How do you handle guns and war toys at home, in school, and with friends? We do not allow our children to have guns or war toys at home or in school. Also, we avoid Saturday morning cartoons by doing other things with the kids. We do not restrict our kids from playing with other kids' war toys on their turf, but if we see that it is causing fights, we will try to focus them on something else. Often an adult's attention in creating an alternative is all that's needed. 8. I can understand why you oppose guns but what's wrong with Transformers and toys that change into robots? Transformers and Gobots turn into robots with guns, not just robots. They transform so they can fight. I have no problem with toys that turn into other toys that are not for fighting and I think toy manufacturers should be encouraged to make such toys; some do. The main problem is these toys are backed up by extremely violent cartoon shows. Gobots has 66 acts of violence per hour. Transformers has 61. Even if they miss the cartoons, they learn about them from other kids and the packaging explains the violent nature of the toys, often in graphic detail. 9. Even if we don't give our children war toys, they still play at war with their fingers or other objects-turned-weapon. How should we handle war play? Nancy Carlsson-Paige and Diane E. Levin add an important dimension to this debate with their book, "The War Play Dilemma: Balancing Needs and Values in the Early Childhood Classroom." The recommend that, rather than forbid war play, parents and teachers should actively take part in it. Help children develop both the quality of their war play and their political understanding of it. One way to do this is to change the negative war scenario children often mimic from television and interject humanity into the "enemy." Change the play in ways that challenge their stereotypes of war and the enemy. It is important to understand the developmental and political issues children are working on in their war play. Talk to them about their feelings and understandings of weapons and war play outside of the playtime itself. 10. When there are so many serious problems in the world, why focus on children's toys? People who work on the issue of domestic violence often talk about the need to "break the cycle" of violence. Those who are battered become batterers. I believe that is also true on a societal level. Children who are led to believe that violence is condoned through what they see on television or the toys they are given will have no problem accepting violent solutions to their own and the world's problems. Our struggle for peace and justice in the world is a long one and will not be completed in one generation. Children grow up quickly. They reach draft age and voting age. The become the people who make policy and those who allow policies to be made. If we choose to bring children into this world, we must take responsibility for them. Even if we don't have children of our own, we must remember that they will soon be running our world. Helping children to be peaceful, justice-seeking individuals without prejudice is a full-time job but it cannot be done in a vacuum - we must change society's values as we try to raise our children. WAR TOYS REALLY HURT!by Patrick G. Coy (Pat is coordinator of the peace and justice ministry at Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, and a member of the Karen Catholic Worker House community. This article first appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dec. 12, 1986.) There are many ways to uncover the values of a society. They are codified in laws and constitutions, enshrined in religious rituals and revealed in work ethics. Sociology and anthropology also tell us they are laid bare - quite starkly - in play. Play and recreation are both a mirror and a source of cultural values. Every time we give a child a toy, we communicate a set of values to the child. We are not simply saying that we love and care about the child enough to present him with a toy. They toy itself also points to another reality, and to a broader complex of values. Children in the United States are being told that aggression, violence and war are attitudes and activities they should aspire to. This value-laden message is being communicated through the phenomenal sales record of war toys. U.S. children are being sold war to a degree that may be unprecedented in recorded history. The National Coalition on Television Violence reports war toy sales have increased by an astounding 700 percent since 1982! The cash registers of the war toy manufacturers are ringing a macabre melody, to the tune of more than $900 million a year in profits. Significantly, this sales flood shows no signs of receding soon, as a 22 percent increase marked the first half of 1986. The most recent toy industry figures reveal that 11 of the 20 best-selling toys in the United States contain violent themes. G.I. Joe leads this military march as the best-selling war toy. Stepping smartly in line behind Joe's bazooka-draped shoulder (a "nuclear capable" bazooka no less!) are Rambo dolls, Transformers, Karate Komando, Lazer Tag, Photon and others. The astounding sales growth of war toys is linked to an integrated marketing plan. Children's television cartoons have been created to serve as especially effective advertising vehicles for these new war toys. In 1982, there were one and a half hours worth of war cartoons on the air. In 1986, they total 43 hours of air time a week, and our children can choose - if we allow them - from a smorgasbord of 29 different war cartoons. According to NCTV, the average 4- to 8-year old will watch 250 episodes of war cartoons and 1,000 television ads for war toys in 1986. This is the remarkable equivalent of 22 entire days of classroom instruction time. What is worse, it is pro-war instruction time delivered in a format that is exciting and enjoyable to the child. The malleable minds of an entire generation of young children are being spoon fed a value system in which violence is the final and best arbiter. The violence that marks the war toy cartoons is much more aggressive than the slapstick version of earlier cartoons, which themselves have been found harmful to children. They average 48 acts of violence an hour, with murder or attempted murder happening nearly every minute! The war toy ads are even worse, conveying six acts of violence in a 30-second slot. The cartoon airwaves are saturated with war themes. Their names are especially revealing: Defenders of the Earth, Rambo, Masters of the Universe, She-Ra, Thundercats, Galaxy Rangers, and Inhumanoids, which airs on Sunday mornings. Any baby mammal - including children - learns what the world is all about through play. When children are given war toys to play with and allowed to absorb the senseless and repetitive violence of war cartoons, they are being deeply prejudiced in their approach to reality. They learn a set of behavioral values that are based on the enjoyment of such conquest themes as domination, aggression, controlling and winning. As Dr. Arnold Goldstein, director of the Center for Research and Aggression at the University of Syracuse, reported, "The degree that youngsters are learning to take pleasure from aggression decreases their ability to learn empathy, negotiation and cooperation." Some argue (in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary) that war toys and cartoons do not significantly affect behavior and values of children. If true, then why not allow toys and cartoons that arouse lustful and pornographic fantasies instead of militaristic ones? Why not use abortionists and drug dealers as cartoon and doll characters? The answers should be obvious. The sad reality is that we have bequeathed to our children a world held hostage by a nuclear hair-trigger waiting to be pulled. Do we want to teach our children to pull triggers with playful glee, unaware of the always tragic human costs of violence and war making? We need only recall President Reagan's callous off-air comment preceding an address concerning Soviet-American relations: "We begin bombing in five minutes." This was followed by "playful" laughter at his own joke. The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications commission have refused to respond with hearings and regulations on the deleterious effects of war toys and cartoons. Blinded by the beam of huge profits, the toy industry has been largely uncooperative as well. Children need to be taught the creative, nonviolent and reconciling ways to resolve conflict that so marked the life of the child born in Bethlehem. There are choices aplenty to be made. Not the least of which is remembering that no toy or cartoon can ever substitute for a few minutes of warm, loving and supportive interaction between child and parent. Herein lies the future of a healthy nation. PUBLIC WITNESS ROLES
_____Tactical Leadership: 2-3 person team designated to make quick decisions if necessary during the course of an action. _____"Choreographer:" person(s) responsible to help things flow; checks placement of speakers, participants, signs, banners, actors, etc. for visibility and coordination; directs the "dance." _____Press Spokesperson: person(s) assigned to interpret the group's action to the press. Every participant should have their "sound byte" ready. _____Press Hustlers: 1 or 2 folks who approach press people, offer them press packets, and direct them to the press spokesperson(s). _____Police Liaison: person designated to speak with police or other security personnel; this person interprets the group's actions to the police, negotiates for more time, space, etc. and communicates any message from the police to the tactical leadership and, when possible, to the entire group; it is not this person's job to tell the group what to do; rather, he/she should simply inform people what the police have said, i.e. "The officer says that those who do not leave the store now will be arrested." _____Leafleters: persons who distribute leaflets to inform or educate the public about the group's witness; should spread out to cover area adequately; an effective leafleter makes eye contact and a friendly positive comment with every leaflet (e.g. "This should interest you"); should practice ways of handling indifference, hostility, and open interest. _____Emcee: person who welcomes everyone, introduces speakers, and wraps things up at the end. _____Song Leaders: a couple of people to lead the group in or songs. _____Speaker(s): person(s) knowledgeable about the issues who can articulate the group's message; should make short, concise points about the topic, use concrete, vivid details to illustrate, be personal, keep a sense of humor, and repeat important points for newcomers. _____CDers: participants planning to engage in civil disobedience actions that may lead to arrest. _____Support: persons in the group who carry out specific support roles for those risking arrest; support persons should: 1) have a list of names, addresses & phone #s of everyone in the group, people to be contacted about their arrest if they are held for any period of time, and all important medical information; 2) know the group's jail strategy, e.g. is anyone planning to refuse to bail out or give their name? has the group decided to do jail solidarity (no one leaves until all are released)? will anyone need a lawyer?; 3) hold ID's, bail money, keys and other belongings for those anticipating arrest; 4) bring pen and paper; try to note as many details of the arrest as possible, e.g. time and nature of the arrest, treatment of arresting officer and activity of person arrested, name or badge number of arresting officer and from what police force (city, state, federal); 5) go to where those arrested are being taken; at the police station, be prepared to stay to provide bail, find out charges, how long they will be held, etc. and to welcome them upon their release; 6) follow up on any special needs for those in jail such as medication, child care, pet care, calls to family, friends, job, etc.; 7) find out date, time and place of trial; 8) communicate all relevant details to witness coordinators. _____Photographer/Video: records witness on film and/or video; helpful for follow-up with press. _____Guides: sometimes called "peace keepers", these are people who know the action scenario (including contingency plans) and can help direct people in appropriate activities (form picket line, stay on march route, etc.); should be prepared to deal with confusing or disruptive situations; should wear something distinctive for identification (arm bands, hats, etc.) LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
Our experience to date indicates that store managers are not eager to have Santa Claus or a bunch of angels arrested, especially with the TV cameras rolling. They are very interested, however in getting you out of their store as quickly as possible. They may threaten to have you arrested numerous times. Again, our experience so far shows that people who have entered Toys "R" Us stores have been able to carry out the majority of their witness by remaining focused and not succumbing to intimidation. Make sure one person is assigned the task of assuring all store and security personnel that you are a nonviolent group, that you mean no harm, and that you plan to leave as soon as your witness is completed. Outside the store, security personnel with likely attempt to intimidate your group as well, saying that the mall/shopping center is private property. For U.S. citizens, you may point out to them that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that distributing leaflets and petitioning in public access areas of shopping centers, i.e. parking areas, walkways, plazas, etc., is protected under free speech provisions of the Constitution (Pruneyard Shopping Center et.al. v. Robins et.al., June, 1980). RESOURCES"Games That Byte: Helping Youth Evaluate Computer Games" by Cornelia Penner. A hands on tool to help youth think biblically about the violence that dominates 80% of today's computer and video games. Curriculum designed for use with youth and junior youth. Faith and Life Press, 1998. "On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society" by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Grossman, a military historian, argues that violent video, computer and arcade games are actually conditioning children to become killers. Little, Brown, and Co, 1996. "Who's Calling the Shots?" by Nancy Carlssen-Paige and Diane Levin. How to respond effectively to children's fascination with war play, war toys and violent television. New Society Publishers, 1996. Families Against Violence Advocacy Network (FAVAN) - resources for families such as the "Family Pledge of Nonviolence" which includes nonviolent play. c/o The Institute for Peace & Justice; 4144 Lindell Blvd., #408; St. Louis, MO 63108; Tel: 314-533-4445; Fax: 314-715-6455; e-mail: ppjn@aol.com; website: http://www.ipj-ppj.org The Games Project - cosponsored by Mennonite Central Committee Canada and CPT, The Games Project is about rating computer and video games so we can find the good ones! 50 Kent Ave.; Kitchener, ON N2G 3R1; Tel: 519-745-8458; website: http://www.gamesproject.org/ National Coalition on Television Violence - monitors violence in children's television and promotes action and legislation to oppose war cartoons and war toys. P.O. Box 2157; Champaign, IL 61820; Tel: 217-384-1920. Parent Action Kit - an excellent three-part packet focusing on 1) Television violence, 2) Violent toys and 3) Resolving Family Conflicts Peacefully from The Lion & Lamb Project, helping families find alternatives to violent toys, games and entertainment. The Lion & Lamb Project/Tides Center; 4300 Montgomery Ave., Ste. 104; Bethesda, MD 20814; Tel: 301-654-3091; Fax: 301-654-2394; website: http://www.lionlamb.org/ War Resisters League - early leader in the campaign against war toys; valuable resources. 339 Lavayette St.; New York, NY 10012. |
MAIN SYMBOL: Santa
Claus and Elves for Peace remove violent toys from Toys
"R" Us store shelves. 
MAIN SYMBOL: Angelic
Messengers bring good tidings of peaceful play around the world. 
7) WORK WITH THE MEDIA: 
Following is a general checklist of roles for
planning a public witness event. To some extent, your group's
particular size and scenario will determine your need for these
roles. A large group (50+) with a multilevel action plan
(including civil disobedience) should include all of these roles.
As your group considers how to spread the message
that violence is not child's play, the question of arrest is
likely to arise. Some people may feel strongly that they want to
take their witness directly to the aisles where dangerous toys
are sold. By doing so, they will be risking arrest (generally for
trespassing). Arrest, jail and torture are familiar parts of the
history of God's people. In today's North American context,
torture is unlikely, but engaging in this witness and challenging
the culture of violence may lead to attacks on your character. We
recommend that your group decide on an "ideal scenario"
(Plan 'A') that you are committed to carry out. If, in order to
carry out that witness, there are persons willing to risk arrest,
then the group should prepare for that possibility. | ©2000 Back to the top | Home page |